Fans celebrate Payton’s return as head coach

Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 8:05 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 8:05 p.m.

New Orleans Saints season-ticket holder Ralph Sapia needed only three words to sum up the NFL's decision to reinstate head coach Sean Payton on Tuesday.

“It's about time,” said Sapia of Lockport, a Saints' season-ticket holder since 1990.

Sapia's reaction was similar to many local Saints fans when learning of the NFL's decision to end Payton's season-long suspension for his role in the team's bounty program.

Payton, along with assistant head coach Joe Vitt, general manager Mickey Loomis and four players including Jonathan Vilma, was suspended after an investigation found the group had a performance pool offering cash rewards for key plays, including big hits. The player suspensions eventually were overturned.

The suspension was scheduled to end after Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3 in New Orleans but was moved up after Payton and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met on Monday.

Sapia said it's not a coincidence that Goodell lifted Payton's suspension days before the Super Bowl will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

“I think Goodell's trip to the Super Bowl will be a lot easier now that the Sean Payton issue has been addressed,” Sapia said. “I was talking to someone last weekend, and I said that this was going to happen before the Super Bowl. I'm glad that he is back, and I knew that it had to happen before the Super Bowl.”

Jason Bergeron of Houma, a Saints' season-ticket holder since 2005, said the team was not the same without Payton on the sidelines.

“You definitely saw the difference in the team last year,” he said. “It was like the company running without its owner for a year. You will have a lot more issues because he would not be there to make the decisions. It put a lot of added stress on the team.”

For some Saints fans, Goodell's decision to end Payton's suspension comes a little too late.

Scarlett McBrayer of Raceland, a Saints' season-ticket holder since 1998, said she believes Goodell unfairly punished the Saints for the bounty scandal.

“I think the whole thing has been a farce since the beginning,” she said. “This is like throwing us a bone because I don't think that it's going to make that much difference as far as anybody's opinion on Goodell and the whole situation. I think it's just another one of those things that we can mark off the list and move on without looking back.”

Bergeron said Tuesday's decision was only a goodwill gesture by Goodell with the Super Bowl on the horizon.

“I definitely think it was a PR move by the NFL, especially with Commissioner Goodell coming to New Orleans for the Super Bowl,” he said. “I definitely believe that he has some concerns coming to the city, but he probably won't admit it.”

Goodell's decision to end Payton's suspension allows the coach to attend Saturday's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., where some of the top college players available for the NFL draft will be competing.

McBrayer said Payton's return brings back a sense of normalcy to the team.

“I think people are ready to get back to business as usual as much as we can,” McBrayer said. “I think we suffered enough, and I think we need him there in Alabama to scope out potential players for the future because we definitely need to do some rebuilding.”

Sapia said he is already counting down the days until the Saints kick off the 2013 regular season.

“I'm really excited because now things can return to normal,” he said. “We can move on, forget about the past and turn our attention to the 2013 season.”

<p>New Orleans Saints season-ticket holder Ralph Sapia needed only three words to sum up the NFL's decision to reinstate head coach Sean Payton on Tuesday.</p><p>“It's about time,” said Sapia of Lockport, a Saints' season-ticket holder since 1990.</p><p>Sapia's reaction was similar to many local Saints fans when learning of the NFL's decision to end Payton's season-long suspension for his role in the team's bounty program.</p><p>Payton, along with assistant head coach Joe Vitt, general manager Mickey Loomis and four players including Jonathan Vilma, was suspended after an investigation found the group had a performance pool offering cash rewards for key plays, including big hits. The player suspensions eventually were overturned. </p><p>The suspension was scheduled to end after Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3 in New Orleans but was moved up after Payton and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met on Monday. </p><p>Sapia said it's not a coincidence that Goodell lifted Payton's suspension days before the Super Bowl will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. </p><p>“I think Goodell's trip to the Super Bowl will be a lot easier now that the Sean Payton issue has been addressed,” Sapia said. “I was talking to someone last weekend, and I said that this was going to happen before the Super Bowl. I'm glad that he is back, and I knew that it had to happen before the Super Bowl.”</p><p>Jason Bergeron of Houma, a Saints' season-ticket holder since 2005, said the team was not the same without Payton on the sidelines.</p><p>“You definitely saw the difference in the team last year,” he said. “It was like the company running without its owner for a year. You will have a lot more issues because he would not be there to make the decisions. It put a lot of added stress on the team.”</p><p>For some Saints fans, Goodell's decision to end Payton's suspension comes a little too late.</p><p>Scarlett McBrayer of Raceland, a Saints' season-ticket holder since 1998, said she believes Goodell unfairly punished the Saints for the bounty scandal.</p><p>“I think the whole thing has been a farce since the beginning,” she said. “This is like throwing us a bone because I don't think that it's going to make that much difference as far as anybody's opinion on Goodell and the whole situation. I think it's just another one of those things that we can mark off the list and move on without looking back.”</p><p>Bergeron said Tuesday's decision was only a goodwill gesture by Goodell with the Super Bowl on the horizon.</p><p>“I definitely think it was a PR move by the NFL, especially with Commissioner Goodell coming to New Orleans for the Super Bowl,” he said. “I definitely believe that he has some concerns coming to the city, but he probably won't admit it.”</p><p>Goodell's decision to end Payton's suspension allows the coach to attend Saturday's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., where some of the top college players available for the NFL draft will be competing. </p><p>McBrayer said Payton's return brings back a sense of normalcy to the team.</p><p>“I think people are ready to get back to business as usual as much as we can,” McBrayer said. “I think we suffered enough, and I think we need him there in Alabama to scope out potential players for the future because we definitely need to do some rebuilding.”</p><p>Sapia said he is already counting down the days until the Saints kick off the 2013 regular season.</p><p>“I'm really excited because now things can return to normal,” he said. “We can move on, forget about the past and turn our attention to the 2013 season.”</p><p>The Associated Press contributed to this story.</p>